- published: 15 Jan 2008
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Hoyt Stoddard Curtin (September 9, 1922 – December 3, 2000) was an American composer and music producer, the primary musical director for the Hanna-Barbera animation studio from its beginnings with The Ruff & Reddy Show in 1957 until his retirement in 1986, except from 1965–1972, when the primary music director was Ted Nichols.
Curtin was a native of Downey, California, and had one son, Chris, with his wife Elizabeth.
In the 1950s Curtin was an in-demand composer for TV commercials. He first met Hanna and Barbera when he worked on a Schlitz beer commercial they were producing for MGM in 1957.
He was the composer of many of the Hanna-Barbera cartoons' popular theme songs, including The Flintstones until 1981, Top Cat, The Jetsons, Jonny Quest, Superfriends, Josie and the Pussycats, The Smurfs and The New Scooby-Doo Movies and all its spinoffs until 1986. Beginning in 1960, Curtin also composed many of the stock tunes used as incidental music in the various Hanna-Barbera series, along with the jingle heard underneath H-B's famous "Swirling Star" closing logo in 1979. He also was the composer for the 1960 animated series Q.T. Hush, one of the first cartoons to appear in color. He also composed two of the tunes heard in the background in Plan 9 from Outer Space, although he was embarrassed by the film's poor quality.
QUEST 16 The Incredible Music of Hoyt Curtin
Jonny Quest: Music From The Original Television Series
Hoyt Curtin - Hanna-Barbera Underscore Megamix
Hoyt S. Curtin - Battle of the Planets theme and outro high quality
Hoyt Curtin - Rise and Shine (1960)
LOS PICAPIEDRA (Theme song). Hoyt Curtin. Director: Andrés Salado. Batería: Luis Nieto
Wacky Races Instrumental opening intro theme by Hoyt Curtin
Hoyt Curtin - C.H.O.M.P.S. - 1979 Unreleased Soundtrack Funk - End Theme
Jonny Quest theme (long version)
Hoyt Curtin - Ready Room Disco - 1978